You are here

Congressman Serrano Introduces Legislation to Ensure Unmarried Women Can Access Small Business Assistance

Mar 24, 2017

Press Release

Washington, DC - As the nation continues celebrating Women’s History Month, Congressman José E. Serrano today introduced legislation that would expand opportunities for women nationwide to access capital and technical assistance to start or grow a small business. The Expanding Small Business Opportunities to All Women Act ensures that economically disadvantaged, unmarried women are included in planning efforts made by the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Women’s Business Centers. The legislation accomplishes this by expanding SBA evaluation criteria for Women’s Business Center applicants to include training and services for economically disadvantaged, unmarried women. This bill also seeks to address the gender gap in financing by providing women-owned businesses with greater access to capital funding. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Bronx County has the highest percentage of women-owned businesses (50.6 percent) in the nation among the 50 largest counties.

“Unmarried entrepreneurs face higher barriers to starting, maintaining, and growing a business,” said Congressman Serrano. “The Expanding Small Business Opportunities to All Women Act will ensure that Women’s Business Centers take these challenges into consideration when developing plans to assist communities. We must ensure Women’s Business Centers continue helping ‘level the playing field’ for all women entrepreneurs.”

Women’s Business Centers are a national network of 100 centers throughout the U.S. and its territories that help women start and grow small businesses.